The Kyle & Jackie O Show has ended 2020 with a special ceremony celebrating their 20 years on air together.
ARN’s CEO Ciaran Davis and chief content officer Duncan Campbell presented Kyle and Jackie with commemorative plaques.
The duo first came together on Austereo’s Hot 30 Countdown and after several years of survey success they moved into drive and were then quickly moved into breakfast at 2Day FM.
However, SCA lost its prize radio asset in a talent raid co-ordinated by Davis and Campbell just over six years ago and ARN has in the ratings success for what was the rebranded KIIS FM ever since. That success came with a price though – Kyle and Jackie O have become the highest paid entertainers working in the media in Australia.
Celebrating their 20 years together Kyle & Jackie O said, “You’d think after 20 years together we’d be sick of each other! But when you get to work with your best mate every day it’s not considered a job. ARN has been amazing to work with and these past seven years at this network have been some of our most memorable moments.”
Of Kyle & Jackie’s milestone year, ARN’s Duncan Campbell said, “Kyle & Jackie O have been on an extraordinary journey since they first started working together in 2000. They are, in my view, one of the best radio shows in the world and their move to ARN in 2014 transformed our business. Congratulations to them both on an amazing 20 years together.”
This year has been huge for The Kyle & Jackie O Show, with some of the world’s biggest stars joining them on air including Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Nicole Kidman, P!nk, Russell Crowe, Jason Derulo, Keith Urban and Guy Sebastian.
Earlier this year, Kyle had everyone on the edge of their seats when he pulled one of his famous ‘Only Lying’ stunts on his good friends Jackie and Karl Stefanovic during Kyle & Jackie’s tell all 60 Minutes interview. Just days later, Kyle revealed the truth about his personal struggles with mental health over the years which opened up a conversation with Jackie and listeners showed their support and shared their own experiences.
Jackie broadcast live every day for two months in Melbourne lock down while she filmed The Masked Singer, which gave listeners a unique insight into what life was like in lockdown including her tense wait for her Covid-19 test results, which came back negative. Jackie’s time in lock down provided plenty of laughs but also showed the reality and raw emotions that many people have faced in quarantine and lock down this year.
Kyle & Jackie gave hundreds of their Sydney listeners a helping hand in these difficult financial times with cash prizes, givebacks and fun competitions that ran throughout the year.
Listen to podcasts of the final 2020 week of The Kyle and Jackie O Show here.
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Top Photo: ARN’s Ciaran Davis (left) and Duncan Campbell (right) with Kyle and Jackie O